role-play

verb

ˈrōl-ˌplā How to pronounce role-play (audio)
-ˈplā
variants or less commonly roleplay
role-played also roleplayed; role-playing also roleplaying; role-plays also roleplays

transitive verb

1
: to act out the role of
2
: to represent in action
students were asked to role-play the thoughts and feelings of each characterR. G. Lambert

intransitive verb

: to play a role
role-play noun
or less commonly roleplay
plural role-plays also roleplays
I practice this with student social workers through case studies and role-play. Kevin Brazant, quoted in psychologytoday.com

Examples of role-play in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The technical flaws run counter to the cool aura of more recent fantasy role-playing games, like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) and Oblivion’s successor, Skyrim (2011), which produced notable memes of its own. Jamal Michel, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 The continued success of GTA V long after its release is largely thanks to players who took Rockstar’s multiplayer blueprint and built something unique: a rich role-playing world with servers hosted all across the globe. Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2025 Gamers play games for all sorts of reasons: to role-play, to challenge themselves, to kill time with friends. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025 The Elder Scrolls is a series of role-playing games developed by Bethesda with five major installments: Arena (1994), Daggerfall (1996), Morrowind (2002), Oblivion (2006) and Skyrim (2011). Carlie Procell, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for role-play

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of role-play was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Role-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/role-play. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

role-play

verb
ˈrōl-ˌplā,
-ˈplā
: to act out the role of
role-play an interviewer

Medical Definition

role-play

transitive verb

intransitive verb

: to play a role

More from Merriam-Webster on role-play

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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